Last Friday I drove down to Tweed Heads, to take part in a QSM Sports devlopment camp based around training on the 2010 U19 Nationals Course. Friday was the first day of the camp which included a camp preview and introduction, and a ride on the ITT course. At the preview we got indroduced to out coaches and support staff for the 3 Days which consisted of Mike Crawley (manager), Nick Formosa(head coach), Hamish Guy, and Cameron Jennings. The friday ride was a total of 94.69km and took as over the ITT course. Once we got to the start point the bunch of U19 riders split into 3 groups as we did pacelines, trying to catch each group. My group which consisted of 5 riders rode the course at a solid pace but the group ended up with 3 left over the finish line, short steep hills and heat was a killer for most. As we got back to the resort Hamish told us to all meet at the pool for a recovery lesson. Little did we no that we were probably about to go through the hardest swim session of our cycling lives ( we thought this was a cycling camp). After out lung busting session in the pool we had to get back to our rooms to prepare dinner. Jamie, Josh and I cooked a awesome meal which consisted of, a peice of steak, pasta, and a salad, everything a cyclist needs. Friday night we had a workshop lead my Cameron which looked at us thinking a preparing goals for the year. Saturday took us on a 135.93km day which include a race and a ride on the road race course for nationals including the Mt. Warning hill top finish. WARNING not an easy climp as most didnt get up it with their 25's. The race was a 45km road race and was a pretty hot pace. Cameron got away in the lead break of 3 riders and finished 2nd, Jamie and Jay were in the chasing pack of 3. After the race i was struggling alot my legs were trashed but we still had a 25km ride home. Saturday night consisted of a dip in the pool and a bike group dinner where everyone got to know each other. Sunday we road the other road race course which went over some good climbs most that were hit at a really hot pace, which not many could keep up to. The ride all up was 92.86km at and average pace of 33kph over some big climbs. Overall I enjoyed the camp alot and got to meet new people and took alot away from it including a new coach in Nick Formosa to prepare me for National Champs in May. Hopefully some other big news to come from the camp but will let you know soon.

Taylor

Brad Toomey and I paired up for the Del XC 6hr. The race did not go to plan as I was stuck with a mechanical on the first lap which ment I had to run back to the start to get Brad. After the first lap we were 28min behind the leader and didnt think we had a chance at all, at reaching the top 3. Time went by and we were slowly closing in on the top 10 till I had to stop and help a guy who had came off and down some serious damage to his face. I finished the lap after 14min of waiting with the guy for someone to come help. We kept racing for fun and at around the 4hr mark the times came out and had us in 4th place. Out of know where we had came back and got back into the race and were pushing hard. We got back into 3rd and then found out we were going to get 12min back of the time that I stayed and help out the guy, this put us only a couple of minutes behind 2nd. We kept lapping around and finished the race tied with 2nd. After 6hrs of racing we were tied on Second place. not a bad way to finish the day with $150 prize money and from coming back from last to 2nd.

Well this ride was an epic failure. Woke up at 3am to get ready to head over to Martin's (owner of harcourts alderley) to drive to southbank. Got there and was waiting in the start zone, to realise my tube what popping out of my tire. Typical Taylor style I thought it was all good and started to the ride. Went around the first corner and pissssssssssssss, there goes my tube. I wanted to ride so I put a $5 note inside my tire over the hole and put in a new tube, pumped her up and off I went. I was able to do a 16km time trail to try and catch my friends till my tire blew again. Figured this was a sign from the bike gods to stop, so I called Dad to come and get me. So 16km out of a 100km ride, not to happy, and was feeling good to after yesterday.

Today Declan, Brad, Matt and I headed out on a epic ride that for me lasted 170km and 9hrs. We met at the bottom of Mt Nebo to start our adventure up into the mountains. Declan came prepared with music playing out of his rear pockets while we started climbing. We got up to the camp mountain turn off and decided that we would attempt to climb the rd that is around 20% gradient. I got the furthest up but probably was not a good idea to continue as were only 15min into the ride and I as buggard. After that rode into Nebo with Matt taking the honours of being first there in a sprint finish with Brad (no one said it was a race). We rode until the goat track turn off. Declan thought I would be a good idea to ride down it(dumb idea if you ask me) as we did I got a flat. Declan enjoyed watching me change it as he threw rocks as me. We continued toward Samford in pace lines at 50kph which was fun but hard. Then the sprint into Samford came for honours. Declan went and for some reason brad went with him which made my life really easy as I then jumped on his wheel. Brad started to die as I jumped and past Declan taking out the sprint for Samford for breakfast (9am). Matt and Brad checked out all the young waitress there while Declan and I did too. We then rode out to Dayboro which consisted of dancing on bikes, waving at cars, doing different forms of celebrations, a lot of laughing and then we got serious and time trailed into Dayboro with Matt breaking away. We chilled at Dayboro skate park and watch at sick BMX guy and a kid smash him self on a scooter. We rolled off to Petrie with a more mucking around on the way and a nice climb I broke away on. From memory Brad was the first into Petrie but by then no one cared. We headed back into the city as Brad left us near Aspley. I broke off at Zillmere to ride to see Ash at High Gear Racing at Alderley. Then received a call from someone to meet them at Southbank, chilled there for a couple of hours then got home at 4.

Last Friday I drove down to Tweed Heads, to take part in a QSM Sports devlopment camp based around training on the 2010 U19 Nationals Course. Friday was the first day of the camp which included a camp preview and introduction, and a ride on the ITT course. At the preview we got indroduced to out coaches and support staff for the 3 Days which consisted of Mike Crawley (manager), Nick Formosa(head coach), Hamish Guy, and Cameron Jennings. The friday ride was a total of 94.69km and took as over the ITT course. Once we got to the start point the bunch of U19 riders split into 3 groups as we did pacelines, trying to catch each group. My group which consisted of 5 riders rode the course at a solid pace but the group ended up with 3 left over the finish line, short steep hills and heat was a killer for most. As we got back to the resort Hamish told us to all meet at the pool for a recovery lesson. Little did we no that we were probably about to go through the hardest swim session of our cycling lives ( we thought this was a cycling camp). After out lung busting session in the pool we had to get back to our rooms to prepare dinner. Jamie, Josh and I cooked a awesome meal which consisted of, a peice of steak, pasta, and a salad, everything a cyclist needs. Friday night we had a workshop lead my Cameron which looked at us thinking a preparing goals for the year. Saturday took us on a 135.93km day which include a race and a ride on the road race course for nationals including the Mt. Warning hill top finish. WARNING not an easy climp as most didnt get up it with their 25's. The race was a 45km road race and was a pretty hot pace. Cameron got away in the lead break of 3 riders and finished 2nd, Jamie and Jay were in the chasing pack of 3. After the race i was struggling alot my legs were trashed but we still had a 25km ride home. Saturday night consisted of a dip in the pool and a bike group dinner where everyone got to know each other. Sunday we road the other road race course which went over some good climbs most that were hit at a really hot pace, which not many could keep up to. The ride all up was 92.86km at and average pace of 33kph over some big climbs. Overall I enjoyed the camp alot and got to meet new people and took alot away from it including a new coach in Nick Formosa to prepare me for National Champs in May. Hopefully some other big news to come from the camp but will let you know soon.

Taylor

Brad Toomey and I paired up for the Del XC 6hr. The race did not go to plan as I was stuck with a mechanical on the first lap which ment I had to run back to the start to get Brad. After the first lap we were 28min behind the leader and didnt think we had a chance at all, at reaching the top 3. Time went by and we were slowly closing in on the top 10 till I had to stop and help a guy who had came off and down some serious damage to his face. I finished the lap after 14min of waiting with the guy for someone to come help. We kept racing for fun and at around the 4hr mark the times came out and had us in 4th place. Out of know where we had came back and got back into the race and were pushing hard. We got back into 3rd and then found out we were going to get 12min back of the time that I stayed and help out the guy, this put us only a couple of minutes behind 2nd. We kept lapping around and finished the race tied with 2nd. After 6hrs of racing we were tied on Second place. not a bad way to finish the day with $150 prize money and from coming back from last to 2nd.

Well this ride was an epic failure. Woke up at 3am to get ready to head over to Martin's (owner of harcourts alderley) to drive to southbank. Got there and was waiting in the start zone, to realise my tube what popping out of my tire. Typical Taylor style I thought it was all good and started to the ride. Went around the first corner and pissssssssssssss, there goes my tube. I wanted to ride so I put a $5 note inside my tire over the hole and put in a new tube, pumped her up and off I went. I was able to do a 16km time trail to try and catch my friends till my tire blew again. Figured this was a sign from the bike gods to stop, so I called Dad to come and get me. So 16km out of a 100km ride, not to happy, and was feeling good to after yesterday.

Today Declan, Brad, Matt and I headed out on a epic ride that for me lasted 170km and 9hrs. We met at the bottom of Mt Nebo to start our adventure up into the mountains. Declan came prepared with music playing out of his rear pockets while we started climbing. We got up to the camp mountain turn off and decided that we would attempt to climb the rd that is around 20% gradient. I got the furthest up but probably was not a good idea to continue as were only 15min into the ride and I as buggard. After that rode into Nebo with Matt taking the honours of being first there in a sprint finish with Brad (no one said it was a race). We rode until the goat track turn off. Declan thought I would be a good idea to ride down it(dumb idea if you ask me) as we did I got a flat. Declan enjoyed watching me change it as he threw rocks as me. We continued toward Samford in pace lines at 50kph which was fun but hard. Then the sprint into Samford came for honours. Declan went and for some reason brad went with him which made my life really easy as I then jumped on his wheel. Brad started to die as I jumped and past Declan taking out the sprint for Samford for breakfast (9am). Matt and Brad checked out all the young waitress there while Declan and I did too. We then rode out to Dayboro which consisted of dancing on bikes, waving at cars, doing different forms of celebrations, a lot of laughing and then we got serious and time trailed into Dayboro with Matt breaking away. We chilled at Dayboro skate park and watch at sick BMX guy and a kid smash him self on a scooter. We rolled off to Petrie with a more mucking around on the way and a nice climb I broke away on. From memory Brad was the first into Petrie but by then no one cared. We headed back into the city as Brad left us near Aspley. I broke off at Zillmere to ride to see Ash at High Gear Racing at Alderley. Then received a call from someone to meet them at Southbank, chilled there for a couple of hours then got home at 4.